Chicago public school bans lunch from home

[K1052]

A policy that will probably not survive the new CPS chief when Rahm appoints him/her. CPS lunches have gotten healthier but buy most accounts taste like crap, depending on the implementation by individual schools (some actually hired real chefs to make the menu appetizing). I think this principal is probably trying to cover up that they did a shitty job of doing the new lunches.

 

[davmat787]

Gee, I wonder if the school admins that are enacting this policy eat the school lunches as well? Anyone think they would touch one of these "meals" with a ten foot stick? From what I understand, this seems like a hypocritical money grab.

 

[dfuze]

Are the administrators being forced to eat the same food, because I've seen quite a few teachers on the portly side (to be polite) that make poor food choices as well.

 

[zsdersw]

I can't speak for all public school lunch programs, but the ones in the districts I've worked for are not only well attended by kids and staff, but serve up some good stuff too.

Fresh fruit is offered every day (the red grapes they get are excellent, btw), but the canned stuff is more popular with the kids. Kids get their meal for $2.50 (the rest is subsidized)... staff pay $3.25 (actual cost).

 

[sactoking]

The Fed gov't reimburses districts <$3 per meal for free lunch. Districts are reimbursed <$2.50 per meal for reduced lunch, which the district cannot charge more then $0.40 for.

Think about that: districts are paying LESS THAN $3 PER MEAL to feed kids and the private vendors with the food supply contracts are making a "healthy" profit.

There is no way that schools can be feeding a healthy, nutritionally-balanced meal that also happens to taste good to kids on much less than $3 per meal. And there's no point in serving a healthy, nutritionally-balanced meal that looks and tastes like shit because as everyone can see the kids will just throw it away, which is likely worse than feeding them colas and fast food.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Are the administrators being forced to eat the same food, because I've seen quite a few teachers on the portly side (to be polite) that make poor food choices as well.

If this shit ever hit my district, you can bet I'd be the first one up there demanding that all district employees can not bring their own lunch as well, nor could they leave for lunch.

 

[BoberFett]

There is no way that schools can be feeding a healthy, nutritionally-balanced meal that also happens to taste good to kids on much less than $3 per meal.

Seriously? In the volume a school purchases, you don't think a single child can be fed for $3/meal? Even if we assume the cost is fully burdened with labor, overhead, etc. $3 is plenty.

 

[spidey07]

Seriously? In the volume a school purchases, you don't think a single child can be fed for $3/meal? Even if we assume the cost is fully burdened with labor, overhead, etc. $3 is plenty.

Agree. Even if they paid retail it not hard to do given smaller portions for kids.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Actually, in ways it is. (in loco parentis)

This is a dumb idea from a policy standpoint, but it's certainly within a school's power to decide what sort of food can be consumed inside it.

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should though.

Governments have the power and it's always been true. Having the ability to make people do things however doesn't make them right, it often makes them bullies.

I would certainly say that this is something which shouldn't be done. Assuming for the moment this is intended to be beneficial it's still a problem because it's another form of "zero tolerance", which I abhor. In my case when we sent our children to school their meals were at least as good if not better than what they were served at their schools. Generally the quality of their cafeterias are good, and probably better than Chicago schools from what I've been able to determine. Why should I accept that if my child were in this situation that he or she would have to eat inferior food? Oh yes I understand that this is intended to mitigate poor nutrition, but it does so taking the lowest common denominator and applying it to everyone. It removes the option for parents who do act responsibly to give there kids something more appealing than nutritious crap.

It is a case of the government using it's power without sufficient input from the community. That's my chief objection, the usurpation of the people's rights, and yes that's what putting such policies into place without the community having any say is. I'm not a fan of autocrats, which the system effectively allows the principle to be in this case.

 

[zsdersw]

Some parents have expectations of the school's meals that they don't live up to themselves in what they serve at home or buy for them when dining out. Getting kids to eat right isn't something that happens only at school.

 

[MrEgo]

I think this country needs a lot of education in what is actually nutritious before we can decide how good/bad our public school lunches are.

Not enough proteins and too many carbs.